Bangkok News
Bangkok news, politics, business, crime, and nightlife—stay updated with breaking stories, events, and expat updates from Thailand’s capital. Get the latest from The Thaiger, your trusted Bangkok news source.
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Woman drowns in underpass nearby her home
A Bangkok motorist has drowned this morning after her pickup stalled in rapidly rising floodwaters in an underpass leading to her housing estate, engulfing the vehicle. Rescue workers from the Por Tek Tueng Foundation arrived soon after 2am near the Airport Rail Link’s Ban Thap Chang station. Police say 41 year old Panumat Sae-tsae drowned inside the pickup in about…
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1.3 billion baht of fakes destroyed, overseen by Army chiefs
by Jitraporn Senwong The Army has overseen the destruction of more than two million seized counterfeit items worth a combined street value of 1.3 billion baht. The ‘ceremony’ was held at an army base in Bangkok’s Don Mueang district today (Monday). Deputy PM General Prawit Wongsuwon oversaw the event and watched as fake “brand-name” clothing, bags, shoes, sunglasses, cell phones,…
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Bangkok laundry explosion – 8 injured
Eight people have been injured after gas leaking from tumble dryers in a 24 hour laundromat in Bangkok’s Din Daeng district exploded early today (Monday). Sutthisarn police station was alerted at 2.30am to the explosion at the laundromat, which is located in a shophouse at the front of Soi Inthamara 36. The eight injured were rushed to Paolo Memorial Hospital,…
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Men-only police academy riles rights groups
Rights advocates are raising concerns over the Royal Thai Police’s new policy of banning female applicants from the police cadet academy, saying the move undermines women’s rights and affects the prosecution of sex crimes. The women’s rights supporters said the national police office order of August 28 was backward and discriminatory. It didn’t only undermine women’s rights and violate the…
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Is the new Suvarnabhumi T2 design copied?
by Phatarawadee Phataranawik The new Suvarnabhumi Airport, much-needed, T2 project has become embroiled in claims of plagiarism and dodgy tender processes. Renowned Thai architect Duangrit Bunnag’s winning “forest” design for Suvarnabhumi Airport’s new 35 billion baht passenger terminal is embroiled in a plagiarism controversy as well as added scepticism about the transparency of the design contest organised by Airports of Thailand…
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Big Bangkok Busts
The Metropolitan Police Bureau are crowing about their ‘protection operations’ during the past two months have resulted in the arrest of many suspects and huge drug seizures. Pol Maj Gen Ruchakorn Jornjewut, deputy commissioner of the bureau, held a press conference on the “Protecting People” operations from July 1 to August 30. He said the operations saw 6,392 alleged drug…
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Traditional motorbike taxis vs Grab rival
The old will always try and block the inevitable progress of the news. And so it is with the newer Grab and Uber-stye transport services vs the ‘old guard’. The latest battle in the war between traditional motorcycle-taxis and the upstart Grab service ended with no one getting a ride. A Facebook user posting as “Enfant Tunglamae” live-broadcast the Thursday…
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Cute dogs and a friendly smile – recipe for a 15 year scam
3cars, a pistol, 55 cell phones, 10 credit/ATM electronic cards, 20 wristwatches, 55 brand-name bags, 18 ID cards/driver’s licences (of the victims), 18 pawn-shop tickets as well as over 100 items of jewellery! Cute pets, an engaging conversation, making new friends on the street – a perfect scam! A married couple, who reportedly used their pet dog as a distraction…
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SHOW DC to host “Dance Battle Revolution 2018”
Dance competition with three categories – B-Boy, Hip Hop and Cover Dance. Prizes worth more than 100,000 baht. SHOW DC invites dance lovers from all over Thailand to showcase their dancing talent at “Dance Battle Revolution 2018”. An all-new dance competition hosted by SHOW DC, it’s open for three dance styles – B-Boy, Hip Hop and Cover Dance. Dancers will have…
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More Nigerian romance scammers rounded up
Crime-buster and deputy Tourist police chief, Pol Maj Gen Surachate Hakparn, held a media conference to proclaim the arrest of another three Nigerians and two Thai female accomplices involved in a set of multi-million baht romance scams. The Nigerians were named as Oli Ifaenyi, Samson Orgi and Orubor Kingsley Nosa. They have been charged with fraud and illegal entry into the…
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Time to take off the gag – PM to lift political ban
As an election firms up, somewhere between February 24 and May in 2019, the PM is under pressure to losses the strings – allowing political parties to carry out political activities, banned since the coup took place in May 2014. Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha is expected to invoke his executive power under Article 44 of the interim Constitution to ease political…
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2,000 fake goods seized, 8 arrested in Chinatown raid
Police have searched Bangkok’s Sampheng (Chinatown) area and arrested six Thais and two foreigners for selling goods in violation of international IP laws. They seized over 2,000 counterfeit products last night (Wednesday). Pol Maj-General Surachete Hakparn, the deputy tourist police chief, held a press conference at 2.30am in front of the Grand China Hotel on Yaowarat Road to announce the…
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Cadet’s family request investigation into autopsy doctors
PHOTO: The Nation The family of a cadet who died in suspicious circumstances is urging the Medical Council to investigate the doctors that performed the cadet’s autopsy from last year at the military-owned hospital. 18 year old cadet Phakhapong “Meay” Tanyakan died in October 2017, reportedly after being disciplined by his seniors at the Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School (AFAPS).…
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Deputy Tourist Police chief is now Prawit’s assistant spokesman
Deputy PM General Prawit Wongsuwan, who is also defence minister, has made Tourist Police Deputy Chief Surachete Hakphan his assistant spokesman. The appointment has been effective since Sunday. Surachete Hakphan, aka ‘Big Joke’, has been the poster-boy for the government as they round up over-stayers, call-centre gangs, scammers and other trans-national crime gangs. The deputy PM’s Spokesman Kongcheep Tantrawanich announced…
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Bangkok drug party busted
Bangkok police have called on the Office of the Narcotics Control Board to help find the source of the narcotics that the 28 suspects allegedly used at a party on Saturday, Wang Thong Lang deputy superintendent Pol Lt-Colonel Chaowarit Ngernchalard said on Sunday. The suspects are in police custody for further interrogation and will be escorted to Criminal Court on…
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Institute closed for seven days as police break up student gang brawls in BKK
By Khanathit Srihirundaj Bangkok police have held a meeting between representatives of Pathumwan and Uthenthawai colleges today. Yesterday students from their colleges fought on the skywalk near the National Stadium BTS station. Education Ministry officials attended the meeting to help find solutions to the issue of student brawls. The meeting at Pathumwan Police Station was brokered by the deputy chief of…
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Fix Bangkok’s traffic within 3 months – Thai PM
Thai PM Prayut has instructed police stations to help with efforts to ease Bangkok’s severe road congestion problems within three months. The PM says that relevant technology must be adopted to help control and manage traffic flow, especially during peak hours. “The government can’t deny the responsibility of easing traffic problems.” He was speaking during a visit to the Traffic Police…
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BKK Taxi driver fined 2,000 baht for watching porn whilst driving
PHOTOS: The Nation Yesterday a passenger filed an official complaint with the land office saying that a taxi driver was acting inappropriately by watching ‘porn’ whilst he was driving and taking his shirt off (which was a football shirt and not a proper uniform). Today, the taxi driver was fined 2,000 baht for watching a video disc and dressing improperly…
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Tourists give a thumbs-down to the ‘new’ Khao San Road
PHOTO: The Nation “You are destroying the life and soul of the city – and we are not coming back!” Take that BMA! as tourists give a big thumbs down and slap in the face to authorities who have tried to sanitise the trashy tourist magnet. For decades Khao San Road has been a mecca for back-packers and tourists looking for…
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BMA backs down to allow Khaosan traders, sort of…
by Kornrawee Panyasuppakun “From around 9pm to 3am, backpackers use Khaosan as “party central”, rather than a shopping fair. Electronic dance beats can be heard blaring from clubs and bars.” There’s been a back down in the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration yesterday after vendors from Khaosan Road convinced a committee that their stalls, whilst illegal in the past, were a huge…
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TECNO hit the smartphone sweet spot
PRESS RELEASE Leading Chinese smartphone brand, TECNO Mobile, is experiencing exponential growth in Thailand on the back of success with its Camon CM and SPARK CM models which have proven a big hit with Millennials due in large part to their mid-market price point and use of the latest state-of-the-art technologies. “The Camon CM and SPARK CM are the first…
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Online romance scam gang busted
Nigerian nationals are again being rounded up in a concerted effort to get rid of some of the Nigerian-based scams operating inside Thailand. In the latest sting, 8 Nigerians and 6 Thai suspects have been arrested for alleged collusion in an online romance scam, swindling nearly 2 million baht from Thai women in Ratchaburi, Samut Sakhon, Phitsanulok, Chon Buri and…
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New VIP lane at Suvarnabhumi, as long as you’re Chinese
PHOTOS: Thai Tourist Police Arriving on an international flight at Suvarnabhumi airport? Long lines at Immigration? No problem – please use the new special VIP lane, as long as you’re Chinese. As the Ministry of Touristm and Sport and the Tourist Police go on a charm offensive to restore confidence in the Thai travel market, a new special Chinese Immigration…
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Stay 5 metres away and bow before and after a photo of the PM – new media guidelines
The Thai PM has issued new guidelines as how and when to photograph him. At the same time the PM’s spokesperson has set new ‘ethical’ guidelines for media pressers with the PM. New formalities issued by the 3rd division of the Special Branch police were distributed to members of the press at yesterday’s Impact Exhibition Centre event where the PM…
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200 members of Line app under investigation for procuring U18 boys for sex
More details have emerged about the identities and activities of members of a Line App group who have been allegedly preying on underage boys for sex. The commander of the anti human trafficking police says the tourist police are also involved in the investigations. Daily News is reporting that on Wednesday a Thai university lecturer and “hi-so man” were among several arrests…
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Australian travel media coming to BKK for annual conference
Thailand is hosting the AGM of the Australian Society of Travel Writers From August 16-19 , 2018. The ASTW has already held its AGM twice in Thailand (1999 and 2009). A total of 113 ASTW members have registered, to date, including writers, photographers, editors, bloggers, influencers, public relations officers, and representatives of various hotel groups and national tourism boards. The…
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Khao San Road vendors defy BMA’s ban on sidewalk trading
By Kornwaree Panyasuppakun “We will open and close our footpath stalls at the regular time.” Bangkok’s Khao San Road street vendors are defying the BMA’s ban on footpath stalls. City Hall has decided that the footpaths must be ‘returned to the people’ and that market traders are going to have to restrict their sales from 6pm – midnight, instead of…
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Khao San Road vendors openly defy the new pavement ban
PHOTOS: The Nation Vendors on Khao San road, Bangkok’s popular back-packer magnet and tourist trap, are openly defying the BMA ban on sidewalk vendors and markets. Officials of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) said they wanted to impose order in the area which for years has been occupied by vendors who ply their trade on both side of the roads, blocking…
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The Miss Universe pageant returns to Thailand this December
PHOTO: Tanachai Pramarnpanich Dust off the tiaras and sashes and try and contain your excitement! Miss Universe 2018 will be held in Thailand in December. This is the third time that Thailand will host the beauty contest. The Miss Universe Organisation president Paula Shugart and Miss Universe 2017 Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters were present at a media conference in Bangkok yesterday. Former…
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Online poker casino smashed in Klong Toei raid
Thailand’s favourite crime buster, Pol Maj Gen Surachet Hakpal, aka ‘Big Joke’, has arrested 58 Chinese nationals running casino operations in an upmarket tower block in Bangkok’s Klong Toei district. Daily News is reporting that a large cache of evidence in the form of computers, notebooks, phones and account books was recovered during the raid on two sections of the…
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